Including magnesium rich food like spices, nuts, beans, cocoa, whole grains and green leafy vegetables in your diet daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and type-2 diabetes, reveals a study published in the open access journal BMC Medicine.
Researchers found that people in the highest category of dietary magnesium consumption had a 10% lower risk of coronary heart disease, 12% lower risk of stroke and a 26% lower risk of type-2 diabetes compared to those in the lowest category.
Their results also indicate that an extra 100 mg per day of dietary magnesium could also reduce risk of stroke by seven percent and type-2 diabetes by 19%.
Low levels of magnesium in the body have been associated with a range of diseases, but no conclusive evidence has been put forward on the link between dietary magnesium and health risks.
Meta-analysis provides the most up-to-date evidence supporting a link between the role of magnesium in food and reducing the risk of disease.
This analysis of the evidence on dietary magnesium and health outcomes is the largest to date, involving data from more than one million people across nine countries. The current health guidelines recommend a magnesium intake of around 300 mg per day for men and 270 mg per day for women. Despite this, magnesium deficiency is relatively common, affecting between 2.5% and 15% of the general population. The findings will be important for informing the public and policy makers on dietary guidelines to reduce magnesium deficiency related health risks.